Annette Monagas-Symon and Stephanie Sy have recently formed USA Immigration Legal Group, LLP. The firm is committed to providing clients with experienced legal advice and personalized, culturally-sensitive service throughout the immigration process.
Founding partners Monagas-Symon and Sy bring a unique blend of legal expertise, business acumen and cultural knowledge to each case they handle. Ms. Monagas-Symon is a fluent Spanish speaker, and possesses an understanding of Latino cultures, having lived in Puerto Rico and Spain for most of her childhood and teenage years.
The duo’s personal experiences with immigration matters span more than 20 years and multiple perspectives. Although they possess a variety of legal expertise, choose to devote their practice to Immigration Law to ensure clients receive exceptional guidance amid the changing legal landscape and immigration issues. Their combined understanding of Hispanic, Filipino, and Chinese cultures keep them attuned to the client, and able to anticipate difficulties clients may face. Services include, but are not limited to: Immigrant Visas, Consular Processing, Deportation Defense, Adjustment of Status, Non-Immigrant Visas, and Corporate Compliance.

Thomas Balestreri, Jr., Joseph Potocki and Karen Holmes of the law firm of Balestreri Potocki & Holmes have been selected to the 2014 Southern California Super Lawyers list in the field of construction litigation.
Balestreri has dedicated most of his 32 plus years in practice to the representation of developers, property owners and general contractors in litigation, negotiations and risk management. He has received numerous professional awards and honors including Top San Diego Lawyers and Super Lawyers for the last several years.
Potocki’s practice concentrates on litigation, transactional matters and construction contract drafting and negotiation. His professional awards and honors include the Top 25 Attorneys in Construction and Real Estate Law, San Diego Daily Transcript, and Super Lawyers.

Holmes is a successful litigator and trial attorney specializing in professional liability defense and civil litigation. She handles contract review and negotiation as we as the defense of construction delay, extras and defect claims on behalf of architects, engineers and contractors. She is the recipient of many professional awards and honors including being named a San Diego Super Lawyer since 2007.

Fish & Richardson IP litigator Juanita Brooks was recently named “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer. Brooks was singled out as “Litigator of the Year” for being “a titan of the patent bar” who “has been lead counsel in more than 13 patent trials” over the past two years.
According to American Lawyer, Brooks was selected for her impressive wins including victories for Fresenius USA “knocking out the remnants of a $150 million infringement verdict won” and fending off “generic challenges to Lumigan®, Allergan Inc.’s $300 million per year glaucoma drug.” American Lawyer noted that the Federal Circuit panel in the Allergan case wrote that Brooks “eviscerated an opposing expert witness’s credibility on cross-examination.”
In total, Brooks won five cases (three trials and two Federal Circuit affirmances) — worth billions of dollars — for Allergan that protected markets for their Lumigan®, Combigan®, and Latisse® drugs. She had two big patent wins for Cephalon involving its cancer drug Fentora®, protecting over $1 billion in both cases. Brooks also scored a major jury verdict for Apple against Multimedia Patent Trust, which had claimed patent infringement against Apple’s iPod, iPad, iPhone, and MacBook and asked for $172.3 million.

Best Best & Krieger LLP has promoted T. Brooke Miller to partner. Miller is a member of the firm’s municipal law and special districts practice groups who serves as an assistant city attorney of Santee and as general counsel of the Ramona Municipal Water District. She regularly advises clients on a broad range of governance issues, including the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, the Political Reform Act and other government ethics laws. She joined BB&K in 2005, and received her law degree that same year from the University of Notre Dame.

Fisher & Phillips LLP has announced that James C. Fessenden and Megan C. Winter have been elected to partner in the San Diego office.
Fessenden represents public and private employers in all aspects of employment law in both state and federal courts, and before administrative and governmental agencies. Fessenden has argued before the California Court of Appeal and numerous trial courts and administrative agencies. He has been a part of several arbitration and trial teams and recently served as second chair in a jury trial resulting in a complete defense verdict. Fessenden also regularly defends clients in investigations by a variety of federal, state, and local agencies. He devotes a significant portion of his practice to counseling clients and developing measures to prevent litigation and governmental investigations.
Winter handles administrative and civil employment matters before state and federal courts and government agencies. Her practice involves representation of employers in a variety of matters including harassment and discrimination litigation, wage and hour class actions, and family and medical leave law. Winter also assists employers in developing workplace policies and procedures, and she regularly advises employers regarding day-to-day employment issues and ways to avoid employment claims and litigation. Winter also teaches an employment law class at San Diego State’s College of Extended Studies.

“Southern California Super Lawyers, Business Litigation”: Michael L. Kirby, David J. Noonan, James R. Lance and Charles T. Hoge were all recognized for their work in business litigation, which includes commercial law and contract disputes.
“2014 Top 50: San Diego Super Lawyers”: David J. Noonan was named to the Top 50 list of lawyers in San Diego.

Higgs Fletcher & Mack, San Diego’s oldest law firm kicked-off its 2014 “7,500 Hour Volunteer Challenge” campaign on January 28, 2014 at USO San Diego’s downtown facility.
More than 20 firm participants turned out to serve dinner to more than 200 service members as well as present a $1,000 check to the non-profit organization.
“Supporting our military men and women and their families is extremely important to us,” said Christina Bobb, attorney at Higgs Fletcher & Mack and past service member. “As a firm with a number of former military personnel, we understand the sacrifices they make day in and day out.”
The USO provides support services, as well as a “home away from home,” for all members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. As part of Higgs Fletcher & Mack’s “7,500 Hour Volunteer Challenge,” over 140 firm employees will be donating their time throughout the year to serve the San Diego community; the firm will also provide monetary contributions to a number of non-profits where they volunteer time. The campaign is in conjunction with the firm’s 75th anniversary.

Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek is pleased to announce that Michael Lees has been named a shareholder of the firm. Lees joined the firm as an associate in 2005.

Lees’ practice focuses on real estate and business transactions, taxation and health care law. He advises individuals and businesses in corporate and transactional matters, and represents both buyers and sellers in acquisitions and divestitures of businesses, real estate and capital assets. Lees also prepares and negotiates formation and operative documents for corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, including complex joint ventures and investment funds.
Lees received his J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law and his LL.M. in taxation, with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center. He also holds an undergraduate degree in business administration with a double major in accounting and finance from the University of Arizona.